Life hacks by Mike Ehrmantraut
According to a study conducted by me, there aren’t many many sane netizens left who haven’t watched Breaking Bad (2008–13) yet. A gem of a…
According to a study conducted by me, there aren’t many many sane netizens left who haven’t watched Breaking Bad (2008–13) yet. A gem of a TV series, it’s filled with unforgettable characters and there’s no upper limit on the number of hours one can spend on discussing how brilliantly the show got executed. Most probably, you’d be attracted by its two main protagonists (Walter White and Jesse Pinkman) but if you watch Better Call Saul (2015-), another TV series that’s basically a prequeling offshoot to Breaking Bad, you’ll be remiss to deny Mike Ehrmantraut his rightful place as a fantastic character. Breaking Bad featured moments showcasing his epicness but Better Call Saul provides him the canopy he clearly deserves. There’s something about his elderly aura that one can’t miss even if they tried their level best. His nononsensical attitude and get-shit-done attitude conspire with his dry humour, leaving you stranded at times, grasping at words to describe his actions. After all, there aren’t many who can compete with him in his category. At least on the small screen. Think about it. He not only sounds a bit like Sylvester Stallone but also looks like a weary version of the celebrated Rocky. The resemblance stops there though: Mike Ehrmantraut never misses a punch.
Here are some of his traits i’ve noticed from the two shows and the resulting lessons one can gather from his onscreen personality…
Don’t give a damn unless you truly have to.
Listen more and talk less but more importantly, speak up whenever required.
Homework isn’t a joke. Do it before stepping out of the door.
Cut the emotional crap and focus on solving a given problem.
Roll your eyes but not too loudly.
Speak with clarity. There’s no need to repeat what you say when you do. You also save a lot of time which you can invest on making more time for yourself.
Be decently good with math. Helps in mental calculation that could result in instant profit.
Get your priorities right. In other words, family is the most important thing in the world.
Work on your defence as much as you work on offending others with words.
Avoid small talks with co-workers who are dumber than you.
Avoid small talks with co-workers who are smarter than you.
Avoid small talks unless somebody is dying.
Smile at nothing in particular.
A job is a job. Nothing more. Nothing less. Everybody sells their souls at the right price.
Mystery is an art form so please don’t abuse it.
Overcome life by staying fit and active. Contrary to popular ointments, ageing isn’t a disease.
Wisdom is overrated when you fail to force things into practice.
Judging people doesn’t prove anything whereas judging people without any malice does.
Wear black. It makes you look reasonably intimidating as well as intelligently assertive.
Forgive yourself before you expect others to do the same.
Sooner or later, everybody fucks up. Brooding over the past only shortens the future. Get up, quit your addictions and move the fuck on.
Be willing to take a bullet if you can pick up a gun on your own.
Life sucks more than it has to.
Shut up and let him die in peace.
I’m quite sure there must be many more hacks one can pick by merely observing him. However, going by his peachy charm to maintain his isolation, it’s alright to presume that he wouldn’t want us to learn anything from him or his meandering life.